CD Projekt RED - Quo Vadis Berlin 2014 Panel

CD Projekt RED gave a speech at Quo Vadis Berlin 2014 about why it makes sense to be independent. A lucky attendee managed to film it, and got permission to post it.

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Biz Development Talk about:
"Why it makes sense to be independent"

Michal Nowakowski (CD PROJEKT S.A.)
Marcin Iwinski (CD Projekt Group)

This video is meant to give everyone who could not visit Quo Vadis 2014 a chance to watch this great presentation.I have permission of CD Projekt RED and Quo Vadis to publish this video on YouTube. Big thanks for that!

That was an EXTREMELY interesting presentation, especially their honest going over the publisher/contract trouble. I wish it received more attention, because this stuff usually stays out of public forever.

Originally Posted by ChaosTheory
I had no idea publishers were so… slimy. I get that they want money, but resorting to bait-and-switch tactics? They sound a lot like used car salesmen.

I remember Obsidian saying during the Pillars of Eternity KS when a publisher aproached them with a game idea, but instead of funding the game like normally publishers do, they wanted Obsidian not only to fund the title themselves (through KS) but surrender all rights and profits to the publisher (aka "they want the game but nor pay a single cent for that") and apparently they were confused when Obsidian says no…

Originally Posted by gandalf.nho
I remember Obsidian saying during the Pillars of Eternity KS when a publisher aproached them with a game idea, but instead of funding the game like normally publishers do, they wanted Obsidian not only to fund the title themselves (through KS) but surrender all rights and profits to the publisher (aka "they want the game but nor pay a single cent for that") and apparently they were confused when Obsidian says no…

Yeah I remember that. There's always two sides to every story, but… I'd sure like to hear the publisher's perspective on some of this stuff.

Originally Posted by ChaosTheory
Yeah I remember that. There's always two sides to every story, but… I'd sure like to hear the publisher's perspective on some of this stuff.

They where probably offering to pay for the final game and IP…if it succeeded.

In my industry (I make softwares not games) a lots of company we have as clients works like this:
- make a contract to produce software X in a certain number of time
- despite asking for more features after contract is signed refuse push backs or to increase payment
- penalize contractors if they do not deliver by the deadline(s)

Basically, the idea is to make sure your contractor assume all the risks and most of the cost while you walk away with a product. It's real bad for quality, but they don't seem to care one bit about that part. It also mostly affect smaller companies that do contract works, they know you are starving for contracts.